Paiute Hunter In The Archives

 February 22, 2025

   One of the joys of having been around the True West archives for the past 26 years is that when we are doing a new story on an old event, chances are pretty good we have excellent images we have published before that will illustrate new features, like this great image from our May, 2019 issue.

Paiute Hunter, by John K. Hillers, 1873. 

   We're doing a feature on the so-called Utah War of 1857 that led to the Mountain Meadows Massacre and we have an account, or rather, commentary from the perspective of a Ute elder on that war from the Native American side.

"An artist's job is to know what to leave out."

—Milford Zornes

   And, speaking of Mormon country. . .

"We have opened a telegraph office here this morning—Miss Ella Stewart operator."
—A.M. Musser, sends this message on December 15, 1871. Ella Stewart is the future mother of the legendary Mo and Stewart Udall, prominent politicos in Arizona and on the national stage. Mo wrote a book, "Too Funny to Be President," and it was true at the time, although today, he might have to amend that title to "Intentionally Funny." If my geneology is correct, the infamous John D. Lee would be Mo and Stewart's great-grandfather.

"Lord, give us the wisdom to utter words that are gentle and tender, for tomorrow we may have to eat them."
—Mo Udall

Daily Whip Out: "John D. Lee"

"Your ancestors outnumber your fears. Feel their power."
—Old Vaquero Saying